Hong Kong – SEE inspects energy facilities in Shenzhen (with photos)
SEE inspects energy facilities in Shenzhen (with photos)
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The Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, visited the China General Nuclear Power Corporation Limited (CGNPC) and the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Site in Shenzhen today (March 8).
Mr Tse first visited the Shenzhen CGNPC Building to learn about the history and development of the company. He also met and exchanged views with representatives of the CGNPC. Mr Tse proceeded to the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Site in the afternoon. He visited the main control room of Ling Ao Nuclear Power Station Phase II and was briefed by the staff on the operation of the nuclear power station.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is striving to achieve carbon neutrality before 2050 and reduce the total carbon emissions from the 2005 level by half before 2035. The Government has devised four major decarbonisation strategies, namely “net-zero electricity generation”, “energy saving and green buildings”, “green transport” and “waste reduction” in Hong Kong’s Climate Action Plan 2050 promulgated in 2021. To gradually increase the use of zero-carbon energy for electricity generation, the Government will explore more zero-carbon energy supplies at a reasonable price in surrounding areas to promote low-carbon energy transformation in Hong Kong.
Mr Tse returned to Hong Kong in the evening.
SEE inspects FEHD’s anti-mosquito measures (with photos)
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CE inspects preparatory work of electoral staff for Chief Executive Election (with photos/video)
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Acting SHA inspects anti-epidemic service bag distribution centre (with photos/video)
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CS inspects handover of Tsing Yi community isolation facility and other facilities constructed with Mainland support (with photos/video)
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Hong Kong – SEE inspects FEHD’s anti-mosquito measures (with photos)
The Government is very concerned about a number of imported malaria cases recently recorded in Hong Kong. The Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, today (August 7) inspected the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD)’s anti-mosquito measures at the hillside near Princess Margaret Hospital, Kwai Chung. He appeals to members of the public to work together to carry out mosquito prevention and control measures at their homes and surroundings, thereby keeping hazards at bay.
“Anopheline mosquito transmitting Malaria is not commonly found in Hong Kong and the risk of local transmission of malaria is extremely low. Notwithstanding this, malaria is a serious infectious disease which can be fatal if it is not treated early. Therefore, the public must not allow the relatively low risk to lower our guards. The FEHD will step up anti-mosquito work, while co-operation and support from members of the public are very important. Effective mosquito control requires the concerted efforts of all parties in society and members of the public should maintain good personal hygiene and prevent mosquito breeding in their daily lives. I appeal to all sectors of the community to take anti-mosquito measures together,” Mr Tse said.
Malaria is an infectious disease transmitted by an infected female Anopheline mosquito (malaria vector). Prevention and control of malaria vector in Hong Kong has been conducted for over 60 years. All along, the FEHD has been undergoing relevant vector prevention and control work, and classifying densely-populated places as vector control area. According to the surveillance data, malaria vector is uncommon locally. However, in view of the recent imported cases from overseas, the FEHD has stepped up the vector prevention and control work in high-risk places, including conducting vector investigation, strengthening vector prevention and control work in rivers and streams in areas within a two-kilometre radius from the residence of the patients and the places they visited (e.g. airport; relevant quarantine hotels, quarantine centre, hospitals; places passed through on the way and so on), as well as applying larvicide at appropriate locations to make it not possible for Anopheline to breed and survive.
Taking into consideration the ecology and habitat of Anopheline mosquitoes (unpolluted hilly streams providing breeding environment for Anopheline mosquitoes), staff of FEHD’s District Environmental Hygiene Offices are conducting weekly inspection of about 600 rivers or streams under control at malaria vector control zone and carrying out river clearing work, including removing rocks which obstructs smooth flow, pruning overgrown branches protruding into the rivers, clearing up floating refuse, and applying larvicide such as temephos and Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies israelensis at appropriate locations. Moreover, staff of Pest Control Advisory Section of the FEHD will conduct investigation of larvae of mosquitoes in the rivers outside vector control zones and collect adult mosquitoes nearby to survey the existence of vector Anopheline mosquitoes. Except the vector Anopheline mosquitoes identified in remote areas that were sparsely populated in 2006 and 2021 (Tai Lam Chung Reservoir in 2021), the vector Anopheline mosquitoes have not been found elsewhere in Hong Kong. From 1999 till now, the Centre for Health Protection has not recorded any locally transmitted case.
Malaria is a vector-borne infectious disease transmitted by an infected female Anopheline mosquito. When the mosquito bites a malaria patient, the mosquito will become infected and may pass on the disease when it bites another person. Malaria is not directly transmitted from person to person. However, malaria can be transmitted through contaminated blood or blood product transfusion, organ transplant, or shared needles or syringes. Malaria may also be transmitted from a mother to her foetus/newborn baby before or during delivery.
In view of the ecology and habitat of the vector as well as the urbanisation of our city, the environment that allows the breeding of the local malaria vector mosquitoes has been on the decrease, and only a very small number of malaria vector mosquitoes was recorded in remote places that were sparsely populated during mosquito surveillance. The risk of local transmission of malaria is extremely low. However, the hot and rainy summers of Hong Kong are conducive to the rapid reproduction of mosquitoes. Member of the public should stay vigilant and take anti-mosquito measures expeditiously.
Hong Kong – CE inspects preparatory work of electoral staff for Chief Executive Election (with photos/video)
The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, accompanied by the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Erick Tsang Kwok-wai, and the Chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission, Mr Justice Barnabas Fung Wah, inspected this morning (May 7) the final stage of preparatory work of the main polling station and central counting station for the Chief Executive Election at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, including the set-up of main polling station, epidemic prevention measures, security arrangements and counting procedures. She also gave encouragement to electoral staff participating in rehearsal sessions there.
Speaking to the electoral staff on-site, Mrs Lam said, “The 2022 Chief Executive Election was the third major election under the improved electoral system. It is vital that all electoral staff are well versed in their duties and procedures to ensure the smooth conduct of this election. I hope that every colleague will be fully committed to making this a historic election for Hong Kong.”
She said that the Central Government’s improvement to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s electoral system has provided a robust safeguard for fully implementing the principle of “patriots administering Hong Kong”. The Election Committee Subsector Ordinary Elections and the Legislative Council General Election were conducted last year on September 19 and December 19 respectively. The Government will, as in the past, spare no effort to ensure the 2022 Chief Executive Election will be conducted in a fair, open and honest manner efficiently and orderly.
She also appealed to members of the Election Committee to cast their votes in the 2022 Chief Executive Election tomorrow (May 8).
Hong Kong – Acting SHA inspects anti-epidemic service bag distribution centre (with photos/video)
Fighting the virus is Hong Kong’s most pressing mission. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government will start distributing anti-epidemic service bags to all households in Hong Kong from April 2 with a view to effectively meeting the public’s anti-epidemic needs. The preparation is being implemented at full steam under the lead of the 18 District Officers. By mobilising civil servants and gathering support from different fronts, preparation work for packaging and distributing millions of anti-epidemic service bags will soon begin. The Acting Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Jack Chan, today (March 29) inspected materials and the venue setup at a distribution centre for anti-epidemic service bags in Causeway Bay Community Centre to ensure the smooth commencement of relevant work.
Mr Chan said, “Being deeply concerned about the epidemic situation of Hong Kong and the well-being of the Hong Kong people, the Mainland has fully responded to the HKSAR Government’s requests for its assistance in fighting the epidemic. We are thankful for the Central Government’s co-ordination on the procurement, production and logistics of various anti-epidemic supplies. This has enabled the HKSAR Government to obtain the anti-epidemic supplies in a timely manner and ensure ample supplies for every Hong Kong citizen.”
Mr Chan said that due to the huge manpower required for packaging and distributing anti-epidemic service bags, the civil service team is providing active support. Colleagues from 13 bureaux and their family departments, as well as the Department of Justice, are participating in this task. The HKSAR Government has mobilised all possible manpower and volunteers to join hands with the civil service team to carry out the relevant work. Apart from packaging work, the Government will set up 130 distribution points in the 18 districts to carry out the ensuing distribution work.
To ensure a smooth packaging process for the anti-epidemic service bags, the Home Affairs Department has produced a demonstration video so that participating civil servants and volunteers can fully understand the division of labour, procedure and steps in packaging.
He said, “We have seen an overwhelming response from different sectors in organising volunteer teams. Over 17 000 volunteers have been recruited through the members of the Legislative Council, the Hong Kong Community Anti-Coronavirus Link, the Anti-Coronavirus Link of 18 districts, over 230 local organisations and non-government organisations, clansman organisations, charity groups, volunteer and uniformed groups, religious groups and ethnic minorities groups. They have provided more than 40 000 volunteer work days for packaging and some 27 000 volunteer work days for distributing bags.
“The work of distributing the anti-epidemic service bags fully demonstrates the spirit of concerted co-operation among the Government, all sectors of the community and the public in fighting the epidemic. We again express our gratitude to the country. We firmly believe that with the staunch support from our motherland, as long as Hong Kong citizens are united in one heart to fight the epidemic, Hong Kong will definitely win this battle.”
Hong Kong – CS inspects handover of Tsing Yi community isolation facility and other facilities constructed with Mainland support (with photos/video)
The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr John Lee, this morning (March 1) visited the community isolation facility (CIF) in Tsing Yi constructed with the Mainland’s support, and attended a handover seminar with Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (LOCPG) Mr Chen Dong, as well as the Chairman and the Vice President of the contractor, China State Construction International Holdings Limited, Mr Yan Jianguo and Mr Hung Cheung-shew respectively, to firm up the detailed handover arrangements and get prepared for the handover of the facility from the contractor to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government.
The facility will provide around 3 900 additional beds for emergency isolation, mainly for the admission of infected persons with no or mild symptoms. It accommodates actual isolation needs and provides common facilities such as bathrooms and toilets, the arrangement of which is similar to those at the community treatment facility at AsiaWorld-Expo and public hospitals, meeting the requirements of public health control. The HKSAR Government will commence operation of the facility after its handover.
After the meeting, Mr Lee visited the Tsing Yi CIF together with the Secretary for Development, Mr Michael Wong; the Permanent Secretary for Food and Health (Food), Miss Vivian Lau; the Under Secretary for Security, Mr Sonny Au; the Director of Architectural Services, Ms Winnie Ho; and the Chief Executive of the Hospital Authority, Dr Tony Ko. They were briefed by relevant bureaux and departments on the preparatory work on the daily management of the facility, as well as the preparatory work and support for medical personnel who will provide services at the facility.
Mr Lee chatted to and showed support for the medical personnel from the Hospital Authority, and expressed gratitude for their services at the facility, which will soon be in operation. Mr Lee also encouraged members of the Security Bureau’s anti-epidemic task force and the Civil Aid Service to be dedicated in their duties in providing the necessary supplies and appropriate support to people accommodated in the facility, thereby playing a crucial role in controlling the epidemic.
Mr Lee then visited Lok Ma Chau and the former site of the Boxes in San Tin to inspect the construction progress of two other community isolation and treatment facilities being constructed with the Mainland’s support. He thanked colleagues in various departments and contractors for their close co-operation in providing a large number of additional CIFs for Hong Kong within a short period of time. He also requested relevant departments to strengthen communication and respond promptly to ensure the smooth operation of the facilities after they have come into operation.
Mr Lee said, “I am very grateful to the Central Government for its support measures and to the LOCPG for its all-out co-ordination for Hong Kong in the fight against the epidemic. The Tsing Yi CIF is the first facility completed in just seven days. It is an iconic project that embodies professionalism and selfless efforts, represents people’s kindness in helping one another, and symbolises the country’s powerfulness in calling for action. The HKSAR Government will make good use of the country’s support and rally the community’s efforts to win the battle against the virus and stabilise the epidemic as soon as possible, so as to ensure the safety and health of citizens and the overall stability of Hong Kong.”
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